Relating to higher education, including by modifying the responsibilities of private institutions of higher education, community colleges, the state board of regents, and institutions of higher education governed by the state board of regents, modifying provisions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, tuition, and administrator hiring at state universities, membership of the state board of regents, and student-employer work and tuition programs at state universities and community colleges, and including applicability provisions

DIVISION I —— SHORT TITLE. The bill shall be known and may be cited as the “Higher Education Reform Act of 2024”. DIVISION II —— COMMUNITY COLLEGES.14 (authority of boards of directors of community colleges) to require the board of directors of each community college to take certain actions, including actions related to the establishment of a program that allows students to complete an associate’s degree while working part-time for an employer registered under the program, the acceptance of certain admissions tests, and the adoption of policies related to post-tenure reviews. The bill also requires the board of directors of each community college to adopt policies that prohibit any faculty or senate committee or subcommittee from having any governance authority over the community college. DIVISION III —— STATE BOARD OF REGENTS. Current law provides that the state board of regents consists of nine members, all of whom are appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the senate. The bill adds two legislative members to the state board of regents, one who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one who is appointed by the president of the senate. The bill provides that the legislative members serve as ex officio, nonvoting members. The bill makes conforming changes. Current law provides that the term of each member of the state board of regents is six years. The bill modifies this provision to provide that the term of each member of the state board of regents who is appointed by the governor, and subject to confirmation by the senate, is four years. The bill provides that this modification applies to members of the state board of regents appointed by the governor, and not yet confirmed by the senate, on or after the effective date of the bill. DIVISION IV —— INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION GOVERNED BY THE STATE BOARD OF REGENTS. Current law requires the state board of regents to elect a president of each institution of higher learning. The bill provides that, when electing the president, the state board of regents shall utilize a presidential selection committee that is required to provide the board with recommendations related to the best candidate for the position. The bill prohibits the state board of regents from electing a president unless the presidential selection committee recommended the election of the president. The bill establishes that only members of the state board of regents shall serve as members of the presidential selection committee. The bill authorizes the presidential selection committee to utilize the services of any person engaged in the business of placing highly qualified job candidates in leadership positions and to use moneys allocated to the committee by the state board of regents. The bill establishes that the identity of a candidate for president of an institution of higher learning being considered by the presidential selection committee shall be confidential and shall not be a public record subject to disclosure. Current law requires the state board of regents to develop a policy and adopt rules relating to the establishment of tuition rates. The bill requires these rules to provide that an institution of higher education shall not increase the total amount of resident tuition and mandatory fees associated with the baccalaureate program by more than percent of the total amount of tuition and mandatory fees the institution charged to residents during the immediately preceding academic year unless approved by the legislative council. The bill also provides that these rules shall prohibit institutions of higher education from increasing the total amount of tuition and mandatory fees charged to an undergraduate student who began the undergraduate program during the 2024-2025 academic year during the student’s first four full academic years, subject to certain limitations that apply to transfer students. The bill makes several modifications to the duties of the state board of regents, including but not limited to modifications related to the hiring of administrators, the establishment of a program that allows students to complete a baccalaureate degree while working part-time for an employer registered under the program; the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion functions; the development of admissions policies; the development of employment policies; the addition of required courses for undergraduate students; the adoption of policies related to post-tenure review; the prohibition of Confucius institutes; and the review of efforts and positions related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The bill requires each institution of higher education to develop and submit to the state board of regents, the general assembly, and the governor, prior to the November 2024 meeting of the state board of regents, a proposed baccalaureate degree program that requires no more than semester hours of classroom work, a report detailing the results of a comprehensive study related to the reduction of costs and how to maintain levels of tuition and mandatory fees, and a proposal related to the establishment of a center that is dedicated to expanding opportunities for education and research concerning freedom of speech and civic education. DIVISION V —— CLOSURE OF PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.183 (Iowa tuition grants program), to provide notice to the department of education immediately upon a vote of the institution’s governing board to close. The bill also requires accredited private institutions to provide the department of education with copies of certain specified documents within three days after providing such notice. DIVISION VI —— INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION GOVERNED BY THE STATE BOARD OF REGENTS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES —— COORDINATION OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS. The bill requires the members of the state board of regents, the presidents and provosts of each institution of higher education governed by the state board of regents, the chancellors and presidents of each community college, and the president of the board of directors of each community college to meet annually to coordinate academic programs in order to increase student outcomes and efficiencies for the state.